Properties of New Mexico Lunar Mare Regolith Simulant

The availability of cost-effective and scalable lunar regolith simulants is critical for advancements in lunar surface engineering. This study introduces the New Mexico Lunar Mare simulant (NMLM), a newly developed lunar mare simulant designed as an affordable alternative while maintaining mechanical accuracy. NMLM is derived from basalt formations in the Cat Hills Volcanic Field, Los Lunas, New Mexico. Its mineral, chemical, and geotechnical properties are analyzed and compared with lunar regolith and established commercially available simulants. Mineralogical analysis shows that NMLM closely aligns with Apollo 11 Low-K samples and Exolith LMS-1 in terms of pyroxene, plagioclase, oxides, and olivine content. Large-strain behavior assessed via direct shear tests yielded a friction angle of 33.4°. Small-strain mechanical properties, evaluated through P-wave velocity measurements, ranged from 63 to 135 m/s and displayed a linear correlation with porosity comparable to those of Exolith’s LMS-1. These findings demonstrate that NMLM exhibits promising geotechnical properties, making it well-suited for engineering research in lunar regolith mechanics.